Property Market Commentary

How Much Will The Falling US Interest Rates Affect Singaporean Homeowners?

The United States Federal Reserve (the Fed) recently cut interest rates by 0.5 per cent. This is a big move, as the Fed typically raises or lowers the interest rate in smaller increments (0.25 per cent). This has a knock-on…

• 28 Sep 2024
• 6 min read
• 0

How Condo En-Bloc Sales Became A Speculative Exit Strategy In Singapore

En-bloc sales and private property go hand-in-hand; some Singaporeans even claim that en-bloc potential is the main advantage of old private homes. But elements of the trend may be newer than you think, and en-bloc sales didn’t quite work the…

• 25 Sep 2024
• 5 min read
• 0

When My Gong Gong With Dementia Went Missing: Are Singapore’s Neighbourhoods Prepared For An Ageing Crisis?

Just the other day, I received a distressing call from my panic-stricken auntie asking for help.   “Cheryl, your gong gong is missing! He left home alone without me knowing and I don’t know where he is now. I need help…

• 17 Sep 2024
• 9 min read
• 0

Can Lower-Income Singaporeans Better Afford HDB Flats In 2024? Here’s What The New Measures Mean

Since the news of the cooling measures in August, we’ve written about how it has impacted the middle-class group in Singapore. However, the news comes with a silver lining for the lower-income group – the maximum Enhanced Housing Grant (EHG)…

• 7 Sep 2024
• 3 min read
• 0

Are Middle-Class HDB Homebuyers Losing Out After The Latest HDB Loan Restrictions?

The latest cooling measures on 20th August 2024 had a target: to slow the rising prices of HDB flats. To this end, the maximum Loan To Value (LTV) ratio for HDB loans has now decreased to 75 per cent, down…

• 28 Aug 2024
• 6 min read
• 4

The Million-Dollar HDB Price Gap Vs Private Condos: Why Some People Find Them “Affordable” In 2024

You’ve all heard the disgruntled comments by now: with flats costing a million bucks, you may as well buy a condo. Or that joke about how, 20 years from now, you will end up having to sell a condo to…

• 24 Aug 2024
• 4 min read
• 2

What Singaporean Homebuyers Really Want In New Launch Condos In 2024

When we ask questions at showflats, we’re often given answers that begin with “People like…” or “Buyers prefer…” But we’ve learned to take that with a grain of salt. After all, we were once told the reason for gigantic planter…

• 21 Aug 2024
• 5 min read
• 0

“Surprise” New Property Cooling Measures Aug 2024: How New Loan Curbs And Grants Will Affect HDB Homebuyers

Following the NDP rally speech, MND has rather quickly followed up with the numbers. In our last piece on whether the Cash Over Valuation (COV) is still relevant in today’s context, we mentioned that the situation with the high resale…

• 20 Aug 2024
• 5 min read
• 0

5 Key Future HDB Plans You Need To Know From NDR 2024: BTO Priority For Singles And 120km Coastline

The first National Day Rally by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong covered some upcoming changes to the HDB market. While they are significant, we feel most of the changes (barring a parental proximity change for singles) are going to take a…

• 19 Aug 2024
• 5 min read
• 1

An Overview Of The Jurong Property Market In 2024: HDB Price Trends And Key Developments

As of 2024, Jurong is, broadly speaking, the jewel of west-end locations; in particular Jurong East. Jurong’s days of being a swampy industrial area are being left behind, and we’ve heard assertions that Jurong East can beat city fringe locations…

• 14 Aug 2024
• 5 min read
• 1

Are Million-Dollar HDB Landed Homes Still Worth A Look In 2024 Despite Their Age?

The most affordable landed homes in Singapore aren’t usually private properties; rather, these are HDB terraced units, many of which date back to the 1950s. Because they’re so rare, there’s always a lot of attention when one is sold –…

• 9 Aug 2024
• 3 min read
• 0

5 Condos That Lost Money Initially But Became Profitable Later On

Sometimes, condos that had bad sales launches or were bought at price peaks look like a bad investment; but sometimes with real estate, the key is holding power. Keep it long enough, and there can be a turnaround in performance….

• 23 Jul 2024
• 7 min read
• 0

Why We Need To Be Careful About A Property Oversupply In Singapore

Recent real estate troubles in China have shown how Governments can, and do, intervene in real estate. The Chinese government’s attempts to support its struggling property industry have come at the cost of investors and homeowners, as former policies are…

• 17 Jul 2024
• 6 min read
• 1

Why Some Older Luxury Condos Are Struggling To Impress Modern Buyers In Singapore Today

Whenever buyers ask to view older luxury condos – the sort in places like Orchard, River Valley, and Holland V – some property agents cringe internally. The reason is simply that, besides their location, many of these older prime area/luxury…

• 9 Jul 2024
• 6 min read
• 0

Does Renting For Life Ever Make Sense In Singapore?

Renting for very long periods, let alone for life, is an aberration in the eyes of some Singaporeans. In a country with a near 90 per cent home ownership rate, it’s expected that – at some point in your life…

• 9 Jul 2024
• 5 min read
• 4

Why You May Want To Wait For The Oct 2024 BTO Launch: 8,500 New Homes + New “White Flat Model”

We’ve just finished the June 2024 BTO launch, and for those of you who’ve missed out or are looking for different locations – there’s always the October 2024 BTO launch to look forward to. What’s interesting this time is that…

• 4 Jul 2024
• 5 min read
• 0

10 Interesting New Land Plots Coming Up In 2024 (Including An EC In Woodlands)

There was a time when the thought of GLS sites getting no bids was unthinkable; and if there weren’t sufficient sites, the en-bloc market would be roaring. But recent events show just how much things have changed, from the 2017…

• 27 Jun 2024
• 5 min read
• 0

Should You Rent Your HDB Out To Rent A Condo Instead? How Rentvesting Could “Save” You Money

I follow a few property blogs, and the reason I do so is to look at different property landscapes and analyse the different financial strategies that come from these markets. One particular strategy that has caught my eye recently has…

• 25 Jun 2024
• 6 min read
• 2